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tony&rodney

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Everything posted by tony&rodney

  1. tony&rodney
    We sure hope Buxton continues as a Twins and plays like a superstar, but his contract situation is difficult to figure. Additionally, it is really hard to know what value he would have in a trade. Someone wrote in a comment elsewhere that the Twins should trade Buxton for C. J. Abrams and Mackenzie Gore. Hmmm? Both of these guys are viewed as potential stars but could also fizzle too. It was fun to watch Buxton play last night and I'm hoping the Twins can find common ground with him. His status is the first piece of the offseason puzzle.
  2. tony&rodney
    I'm also confused why anyone sees Donaldson as anything other than a positive for the Twins. I guess it continues to beg the question - what are the Twins plans going forward? Jose Miranda has had a terrific season and if he is ready to contribute at the major league level there will be a spot for him. He can be a piece next year or perhaps included in a trade for pitching. If the Twins are planning to be competitive next season (.500 or better), they will need to explore every decent free agent and trade possible. Every single player can be traded from the current roster if the trade makes the team better. Obviously, there are players we want to hold (Polanco, Buxton, Donaldson) or develop further (Ryan, etc.), but the goal needs to focus on a better team in 2022. Miranda needs to play where he is a better defender. If he can play an average LF and hit, fine. The Twins do not need any more weak defenders. I'm hoping he gets 500-600 at bats next year for the Twins and hits .280 with production as well as playing sound defense, likely between 3B, 1B, and 2B.
  3. tony&rodney
    I agree with this, but I believe the Twins need to attempt to overwhelm Miami with an offer of multiple current MLB players. Unless the Twins are looking to 2023/2024 to compete, they will need to add players to bolster their talent. The offense has not been particularly productive and it seems counterintuitive to subtract several of Jeffers, Garver, Sano, Arraez, Larnach, Kepler, or Buxton, but the path to victory runs through pitching. An important question regards how Miami views Jeffers or Garver and whether two to three additional players might entice them to part with what we need.
  4. tony&rodney
    I echo the comments by TopGun#22. The AL Central was pretty weak from 2019-2021 and looks to be stronger going forward. The Twins will have opportunities to return to the top with aggressive moves this winter.
  5. tony&rodney
    Miami needs catching and has pitching - the Twins and Marlins line up for a major trade. Rortvedt is a good catcher and can hit .225 and works in a platoon situation.
  6. tony&rodney
    2021 was not as big a disappointment for me as other years because i couldn't see how this Twins team would win more than 81-86 games. I did expect a winning season. The pitching was predictably shaky and not just in retrospect. Berrios and Maeda are very good MLB pitchers. Maeda's difficult year was not expected. Still, I couldn't look at Happ, Shoemaker, Pineda, and Dobnak as parts of a solid staff. Perhaps it was a surprise that one of Duran, Winder, or Balazovic did not step forward to bolster the rotation or that the Twins received nothing from Thorpe or Smeltzer. There were options to trade for a starting pitcher and sign a closer last offseason, however, and the decision to roll with Colome, Happ, and Shoemaker set the tone pretty early this year.
  7. tony&rodney
    Exactly - What are the plans? The budget and Twins desired direction will determine how the offseason unfolds and whether we see a possible return to the playoffs or a KC/Detroit rebuild with expected heavy losing. Also, the DH in the NL is a definite factor in Sano's value. Will MLB get its act together? These questions directly impact Sano. He slots neatly into the DH role and Kirilloff at 1B makes the defense better, but I do think a team like Milwaukee would be interested in Miguel. Either way, there is still value in Miguel Sano.
  8. tony&rodney
    I have not seen Jose Miranda this season. His numbers are amazing. What is the report on his prospects for being a full time contributing MLB player? Can he be counted on to take a position next season? What about his glove, does it play at 3B? The answers to these questions are important to a consideration of where Miranda fits on a Twins roster. The average, contact, patience, and power are very impressive and if he looks anything like Kirilloff he deserves a real shot at playing time. This, in turn, affects who is available to trade. Congratulations to Jose Miranda for a spectacular season. I wish I had had an opportunity to see him play. I checked milb.com every game for his line for each game and the consistency of his production was so laudable.
  9. tony&rodney
    Brent Rooker is still young enough to evolve into a fine, productive MLB player. A 5-10 year MLB stint is quite an accomplishment for an athlete. He does not need to be an All Star to have an excellent career. The issue for Rooker is his skill set in relationship to the needs of his team. As mentioned, DH is his best position and the Twins have a half dozen players to man the DH spot right now. Rooker also hits right-handed pitchers well so he does not fit in a platoon role easily. He can play left field adequately but increasingly the better teams use better defenders across the outfield. I will add that the athleticism of professional athletes is often severely underrated and anyone who has played against an MLB athlete knows that how they look from the stands or couch is not what is a reality when one is actually playing on the same field; these guys are athletic to a different degree. Naturally, by comparison within MLB, some players are far less skilled. We don't want to compare Rooker to Buxton, but he isn't much different than Kirillof as an outfielder and is more or less the same as Larnach. So the crux of the problem for Rooker is playing time on a team that has so many similar type position players. Rooker may benefit from an opportunity on another team, especially if the NL adds the DH. He would be a valuable additional player in a larger trade with other significant players. Similarly, if others are cleared from the Twins roster, Rooker may fill the DH position decently for the Twins. I don't believe Brent Rooker will be left off of the 40 man roster. He has a future as an MLB player. My scenario sees him as a part of an offseason trade because another team also sees his value. That value is not in a one for one trade but as part of a multi-player transaction.
  10. tony&rodney
    Agree wholeheartedly with this line, but oh my what a low bar for defense. Brent Rooker can be a very useful DH. Handsome, statuesque sluggers in the corner outfield positions are not a pitcher's friend. Kepler gets a spot every time because he always plays defense and can get on a roll at the plate occasionally. I see Rooker as redundant to Donaldson, Sano, Larnach, and Arraez in two spots, DH and the field. Keep him if there isn't a way to use him as a part of a major trade.
  11. tony&rodney
    This is the crux of whether the Twins can return to relevance next season. One FA signing ($20-30m) and one trade to complement Pineda, Ober, and Ryan would be the minimum expectation. I'm holding out for two trades and a significant free agent signing to bolster the starting pitching staff for next year.
  12. tony&rodney
    A couple of the previous responses to the post are right on - the Twins have better options, especially if one believes in the value of defense, speed, and contact. Rooker will not return any player of value by himself, but in combination with some combination of Larnach, Jeffers, Arraez, Duffey, or others a strong return may be gained. Miami looks like a decent trade partner if conversations can find mutual agreement on needs, maybe Milwaukee or Oakland as well.
  13. tony&rodney
    Miguel Sano hits the ball really hard and is a very controversial player because of his wild swings (pun intended) between strikeouts and hits. He should have value to another team, particularly if the NL adds the DH. Hopefully, MLB will get its act together on this by November. Regretfully, Sano may help the Twins in a trade to a team looking for power and a change may help him too. I would be sad to see Sano go but a shift in employment is often a beneficial course within life. for many people and may push Miguel Sano to a better place professionally.
  14. tony&rodney
    Three solid picks by this post to have better seasons in 2022. For many people, it might be difficult to actually watch Colome after the struggles he had in the first two plus months this year. A return to major league rules in extra innings will help Colome because he doesn't strike out people and the ghost runner is a drag on his work. Colome would also benefit from being used in different situations than just the last inning. Finally, when Colome does not have his cutter working, just take him out. I do believe that Dobnak and Jeffers will be better next year, but I think they are more useful in a trade. Kepler is a player that must make some changes to his game or his career will shift to being a 4th outfielder. There is talent within the struggles of many Twins players and I hope to see some fire in the last two weeks.
  15. tony&rodney
    Luis Arraez may be less than 100% but I haven't heard or read this news from the Twins. If he is less than 100% it sure seems odd to put him out on the field when others could play. Count me among those who believe that Maggi should get a few at bats and innings at the major league level. It would be difficult to explain sending him back to St. Paul because Simmons can play in Chicago. I'm hopeful that the Twins end the season with some upbeat play and decisions.
  16. tony&rodney
    The circumstances this offseason are slightly different than in past seasons. This time there is a decision between rebuilding and retooling. The former means we hang with the Orioles while the latter means we stomp back up front in the AL Central. I loved the trade for Maeda and the Odorizzi trade worked wonderfully. While I welcome a similar "find" this Winter, there also needs to be additional aims for recognizable strong pitchers and a hopefully successful use of the free agent market. The Twins have an abundance of outfielders and redundant infielders as well as an extra catcher. Every player is available, including Byron Buxton, as well as all prospects. This is not a time to panic but an opportunity to use areas of strength to shore up weaknesses. This can be done with a 2022 budget of $125-160 million. There are many options and the Falvine duo has a chance to identify which teams and players to move and acquire. My first three choices (at this time) to add via trade are Alcantara, Marquez, and Lauer. My first three choices to look at via free agency are Carlos Rodon, Marcus Stroman, and Thor Syndergaard. What none of us knows is the interest in our players as a trade partner or the potential cost of the free agents. Realistically, the Twins need to add three starting pitchers and some combination of free agents, trades, and "finds" will work.
  17. tony&rodney
    This post lists three legitimate pitchers to target. Because they remain works in progress, each of Hernandez, Javier, and Toussaint profile as decent middle of rotation hurlers. These are good choices. I would add Eric Lauer as a possibility to that group and hope for some conversations towards a slightly better upgrade by targeting someone like Sandy Alcantara and/or German Marquez. Of course, these pitchers will cost the Twins. Unless the Twins are going to a full rebuild and are willing to lose 100+ games for a couple of years, a few (2-3) experienced pitchers will need to be added through trades or free agency. The Pohlads need only look at attendance figures for those teams that are competitive (TB/Oak = outliers) to see that a rebuild is near a million fans less per year. Prospects who are ready will push their way on to the roster, Tampa Bay being an example.
  18. tony&rodney
    Sometimes his uppercut swing is so severe and patently off that one wonders where the hot streaks come from with Sano. He could be a really good DH and become more consistent. 1B is not a good deal for the team when Miguel is over there, despite his decent ability to scoop errant throws. What to do, what to do .... with Sano. There will be some real interest in the Big Man if the NL uses the DH. It has always seemed possible for Miguel Sano to be more productive and reduce his K-rate and increase his batting average substantially. The number of strikeouts are too numerous and his approach hinders him against the better pitchers.
  19. tony&rodney
    Yah, there were plenty of other choices. I would have kept Wells and likely not protected Baddoo, but there were 5-6 players that has less potential than either Wells or Baddoo .... Smeltzer, Thorpe, Blankenhorn to start.
  20. tony&rodney
    Excellent move by the Twins. Maggi is a great example of the love of playing baseball. Congratulations to Drew Maggi and kudos to Seth for this post.
  21. tony&rodney
    Wells was a bad decision on management's part because of his size, potential, and experience. Baddoo was a tougher call because of his inexperience and injury but his athleticism was important to evaluate.
  22. tony&rodney
    Isn't it fun to watch Big Mike and all of his quirks? I'm thinking he can be an option on an inexpensive contract for next year as he is good for 20 starts of competitive ball. Great game for the bullpen too.
  23. tony&rodney
    Every single player in the Twins system should be available. If a trade improves the team, make it. Josh Donaldson and Jorge Polanco are the only two Twins who can hit and field. Byron Buxton is a true talent but if he cannot be signed, the Twins need to see what other organizations may offer in return for our dynamic CF. Miguel Sano hits the ball as hard as anyone, but his deficiencies are pretty big as 1B and his slumps, K's, and average make him expendable if he returns a decent pitcher. Max Kepler is an enigma offensively but his defense is solid. The team needs good defense and Larnach, Rooker, and Kirilloff do not begin to measure up to Max. Again, if Kepler returns the pitching the Twins need he can be traded. Starting pitching help is needed unless the Twins plan on a full stripping of their current core and totally rebuild. Ryan, Ober, Dobnak, Thorpe, Smeltzer, etc. will result in 100+ losses. I do think Ober and Ryan could work as the back end of the rotation. My comments are not aimed at wholesale trades and sweeping change across the diamond but to those of us who watch the Twins play it is obvious that there are changes needed to the roster if the team wants to be competitive in 2022. I do not denigrate those who are looking for the Twins to roll with the current squad and let the young arms get experience, but am hoping for a return with relevance next season through 4-7 offseason moves.
  24. tony&rodney
    I'm not sure how you arrived at #4, personality. I watch and/or listen to too many Twins games and I do not see any problems whatsoever. Because I have never met JD and do not know him it seems odd to me to include personality in your post. Health is the only item that slows down Josh Donaldson at this time. He and Jorge Polanco are the only two steady figures right now for the Twins lineup. I do wonder if JD can play an effective 1B to add to his play at 3B and use as a DH. There needs to be a place to try Jose Miranda and Alex Kirilloff next season if they are with the team.
  25. tony&rodney
    Simmons is not a reasonable alternative for 2022. It seems like Polanco is the only in house option and count me among the crowd that wants him to remain as our 2B. Javy Baez or Story on one year make good deals? One thing is clear - there is plenty of work to do this offseason for the young Falvine duo.
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